Abstracts

The Impact of Climate Change on Traditional Food Security in Two Northern Aboriginal Communities

Melissa Guyot¹ and Laurie Chan
¹McGill University
melissa.guyot@mail.mcgill.ca

Climate change may affect traditional food security in the Canadian north. Community members in two northern Aboriginal communities are experiencing climate related changes to their local environments. This participatory study seeks to investigate the impact of these changes on the harvest of traditional foods and to characterize the implication of these changes on the diet of community members. The key research questions are 1) Can self reported harvest data collected from two Aboriginal communities in northern Canada be used to predict the intake of traditional foods in these communities? 2) What are the perceived effects of climate change on traditional food harvest by community members in two Aboriginal communities in northern Canada? 3) What, if any, impact may these changes have on the nutrient intake of community members? Combinations of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to document and estimate the local harvest pattern of key species of traditional food. Focus groups were held in each of the two communities to record changes experienced by community members as well as to document adaptive measures currently in place by community members. Dietary information was collected by food frequency questionnaires. Results will be combined to provide an understanding of the current effect of climate change on the harvest of traditional foods and help the communities to develop adaptation plans. Experience learned will be share with other northern communities.

2005-04-05